Best MPC For Beginners – Top 5 Reviews & Buying Guide

Need information about the best MPC for beginners? You’ve landed at the right place! Keep reading to know more!

The MPC is a device favored by many music producers. Not only is it convenient to use everywhere, but the outcome quality it produces is also commendable.

There are a thousand products on the current market that will easily confuse you and complicate the buying decision. Moreover, for beginners who don’t have any experience, this task is even harder to tackle.

For this reason, we’ve picked out the top 5 best overall items. Each of them has different pros and cons that you consider to find the one that suits you most.

Preview	Product
	Native Instruments Maschine Mk3 Drum Controller	Check Price
	AKAI Professional MPC X – Standalone Drum Machine and Sampler With 10.1-inch display, Beat Pads,...	Check Price
	Akai Professional MPC Renaissance | Music Production Controller with 9GB+ Sound Library Download...	Check Price
	Akai Professional MPC Studio Black | Ultra-Portable MPC With MPC Software (Download), USB Power, LCD...	Check Price
	AKAI Professional MPK Mini Play – USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With a Built in Speaker, 25 mini...	Check Price

Last update on 2024-04-25 at 14:29 UTC - 4/ Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Things to Consider Before Buying a MPC For Beginners

Durability

When you spend money to buy a certain product, you will certainly expect to receive useful value in return. And one of these expectations is usage time.

No one wants to have a poor-quality MPC that is quickly damaged after a short period of use. Build quality is one of the most important factors that determine the product’s durability.

Pay attention to details like pads or knobs, as these are the parts that you need to touch and use most often. They need to be sturdy to work well under different conditions, whether you’re training at home or performing.

Set-Up

Most MPC is designed with 2 set-up types:

Standalone: this version is suitable for playing live with high portability. You can easily bring it anywhere and use it without a PC or laptop.

Some modern standalone products support integrating ports too. So, there is no point in worrying about their integrity as they can work well under different conditions.

Integrated: Music producers who usually work at a studio will be more inclined to use integrated items. This type’s superior advantage is that you can quickly edit the track on your PC or laptop.

Sound

One thing not everyone knows is that the sound each MPC produces is not the same. Let’s jump in the music quality first.

The fact remains that not all products can support you to create clear and vivid sounds. With some low-quality products, the sounds produced can easily crack or become unstable at too high or too low frequencies.

If the product you choose is of high quality, consider the type of sound you want. Some will give a warm sound, some can support the vintage outcomes well, while others will be good at making gritty sounds.

None of them is the best overall. This factor is dependent on your needs and requirements. Think about which types of music you want to produce before making the final decision.

Features

Each MPC will have different features. Of course, the more features a product has, the more it is worth considering due to the more support it gives you during performance.

However, multi-feature items will cost you more than basic ones. Consider your budget first or try to find out the best product at the same price range.

Some features that you can look for when choosing an MPC:

• Speaker: Some products now have built-in speakers so you can easily listen to your track whenever you compose. This quality is a big plus as you need to prepare additional speakers or headphones for items that don’t have this feature.
• Internal Storage: We highly recommend the product has a large storage capacity of minimum 16 GB. With a smaller one, you need to export files often to avoid filling up.
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth connectivity will allow you to connect your smartphones or laptops more conveniently and quickly.
• Instrument Input: It’s great if your product supports instrument input. In this way, your track will be more interesting.
• Mic Input: This feature is ideal for those who are keen on solo performance or live streaming. It will combine your voice with the track.

Price

Obviously, the price of MPC is extremely diverse, which is understandable since there are many products with different qualities for us to choose from.

As usual, an MPC can cost you from at least $150 to more than $5,000. In addition, some premium items on the market can be sold at $50,000 or more.

Anyway, you should base your purchasing decision on your budget to choose the best products. As mentioned above, you can find different quality products at the same price, so be patient and careful.

Top 5 Best MPC For Beginners

Native Instruments Maschine Drum Controller MK3 - Best Overall

We’ve tried many products before, and we determine Native Instruments Maschine Drum Controller MK3 is the best overall one. If you’re curious about the reason, scroll down to know more about it.

Its build quality is worth considering. A solid design with durable big pads and buttons ensures a long use time. You won’t find any fragile details or parts on this item.

We appreciate the intuitive design of this MPC. Thanks to this, you can easily tweak and control various parameters at the same time to balance the sound as you expect.

This product comes with Native Instruments Massive™ software that allows you to produce and edit tracks more conveniently. It also includes a top-shelf mixer, an arranger, various effects, and so on.

Moreover, if you want to perform on stage or produce music at the studio, this item will satisfy you. With user-friendly design and useful features, it will support you anytime and anywhere.

For some professionals, large pads are the downside of this product as their fingers are now used to using small-sized ones. However, for a beginner, this characteristic is rather a good selling point.

AKAI Professional MPC X - Best Modern MPC

A modern MPC with some high-tech features can surprise you greatly. That’s why we want to introduce you to AKAI Professional MPC X.

You will fall in love with the touch design of this product. An OLED screen with high sensitivity above each knob will assist you in adjusting music and changing parameters more accurately.

Producing quality outcomes is also an advantage of this item. It can create a natural, vivid, and vibrant sound for better tracks and mixtapes.

This MPC provides you with a sampler, a MIDI controller, a drum machine, and so on. It’s a wonderful system with the full options that you need for producing music.

Last but not least, we also appreciate its high compatibility. You can effortlessly connect it to your devices with 4 MIDI outputs, 2 MIDI inputs, and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity.

We can agree that it is a premium item, so its price is also “premium.” It will be 2 to 3 times more expensive than the average range, so consider your budget before choosing.

AKAI Professional MPC Renaissance - Best Build Quality

If what you need is a durable product ideal for long-term use, don’t miss this Akai Professional MPC Renaissance.

We’re impressed the first time we held this MPC. The outer case is extremely sturdy to protect the microchips and internal components. With well-assembled pads and knobs, it ensures long-lasting durability.

This recommendation is an integrated MPC, so it allows quick file export and easy storage into computer memory. This pro makes it quicker and easier to organize, change, or remove files to maintain computer memory in the best condition.

There is no need to worry about the music outcome. The product is good at balancing and producing the most natural audio you expect and exporting it in many formats, such as MP3, REX, AIFF, etc.

For beginners, this item is an ideal choice. As all the information and parameters will be shown on a PC or Mac display, you won’t have to struggle with learning how to use it.

However, this Renaissance model is an integrated MPC. That means you can’t use it without a laptop or a PC.

AKAI Professional MPC Studio Black - Best Ease Of Use

Are you worried as you have no prior experience in using an MPC? If so, feel free to take a look at this Akai Professional MPC Studio Black as it can be your savior.

A simple design with large screens is what many beginners look for. Combined with named buttons, you don’t need to spend much time learning their locations by heart. It’s straightforward for all people to use.

It comes with a compact design and is lightweight (about 2.56 lbs only). This characteristic means you can effortlessly bring it from place to place and unleash your creativity whenever the ideas come to your mind.

The powerful MPC Software can combine up to 128 tracks. Sensitive pads and knobs also contribute to this MPC’s smooth operation.

Last but not least, if the budget is your concern, you can rest assured now. This product’s price is so affordable that beginners don’t have to think twice before purchasing.

It would be better if this product was more solid. The thickness is less than 1 inch, which makes us question its durability.

AKAI Professional MPK Mini Play - Best Value For The Price

Don’t you have a big budget but still looking for a quality item? AKAI Professional MPK Mini Play is what you need in your shopping basket if that is the case.

Many people doubt the quality of low-priced items. Their concerns can be valid, but not with this product, and we’ll show you why.

With high sensitivity, the keys and pads will respond to the sound at the corresponding speed. Combined with low latency, it ensures the audio quality you want.

With 10 drum kits and 128 sounds; there is no limit to your creativity. No matter which type of music you want to produce, this item can be your great assistant.

The easy-to-use design of this product will be another factor that convinces you to purchase it. It’s also light, compact, and ideal for use anywhere.

Nevertheless, the speaker of this MPC isn’t loud enough. That means you will need a pair of extra speakers if you perform in an open space.

FAQs

What MPC Does Kanye Use?

Many Kanye West fans are curious about the MPC he uses to compose music. Of course, he has countless different equipment, but a few typical products are worth mentioning.

During a performance in 2013, the audience saw Kanye used the AKAI MPC on stage. Another producer of his, Om’Mas Keith, also used this device at that time.

In addition, the Roland VS-1880 24-Bit Digital was also a product that Kanye used to produce tracks “All Falls Down” and “College Dropout.” According to Music Tools, he also used other devices like the Gemini PT-1000 II turntable or Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard.

Do You Need A MPC To Make Beats?

MPC is a suitable and worth considering device when you want to make a beat. However, if you want to ask whether this device is a must-have, the answer is no.

In addition to MPC, there are many other tools and software to help you make beats more easily like FL Studio, DAWs, and so on.

Many people think that using the above software will save costs and be more convenient than buying an MPC. However, each product will have its advantages and disadvantages. It’s all dependent on your needs and purposes.

Do Producers Still Use MPC?

Many professional producers still consider MPCs an inevitable tool in making music. Once you become proficient, this device can help you create great tracks.

In addition, MPCs are very suitable for live performance. The outcome quality will depend more on the player’s ability than on the product.

Conclusion 

And that’s all! We've provided you with all the necessary information about the best MPC for beginners. Expectedly, you’ll find this post understandable and helpful for you to make a final decision.

Native Instruments Maschine Drum Controller MK3 is the item that we like the most. We highly recommend this product to every user, especially beginners. Its useful features and ergonomic design will support you a lot.

Last but not least, don’t forget to look at the buying guide before choosing an MPC as it can be of great help!

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